The Veterans Resource Center at Georgia Tech is dedicated to serving students who are veterans, military reservists, guard members, and dependents by providing comprehensive support services that enhance and complement the academic experience.
David Ross has been the director of the center since 2013, and he spoke with us about what he is striving to do in order to provide for veterans on campus.
What is the Veterans Resource Center (location/services it provides)? How long has it been on campus?
The Veterans Resource Center started in 2013, and the center is primarily located in my office (115B) Student Services (FLAG) Building. I am the first director of the program.
We’re here to help acclimate students with development support. One of the ways we do this is providing an orientation to campus and giving transition assistance if they are coming from another school or right out of the military.
The objectives of the center are programs or services revolving around “Engage, Enable, Employ.” “Engage” comes from orientation and transition; this involves providing small sessions during FASET to aid with registration along with getting students involved in student organizations. I also organize events where new students can meet current students through meet & greets. “Enable” is connecting students with campus services such as C2D2, Counseling, Centers for Academic Success as well as aiding with networking with VA (Veterans Affairs) services. “Employ” is where I work with companies within the city or state that are interested in hiring veterans, and I connect them with these opportunities for interning/co-ops or jobs after graduation.
What are the statistics for the numbers of students the department supports, and specifically, how many are within the College of Engineering?
There are about 200 student veterans on campus, including active duty military and veterans. About 80 are undergraduate students and 120 are graduate. About half of these students are from the College of Engineering.
How did the center start?
A group of students that transferred from other schools came to Georgia Tech and realized other schools had this [Veteran Resources] program, so they got together and got the information that was necessary to start the program. The students pushed for the program, and Student Affairs listened. I was at Valdosta State University at the time, and I saw the job posting and thought it would a great opportunity.
Does the center only provide services for students?
We primarily focus on students, but I always encourage faculty members to come to events or meet-and-greets with students. The GT Military Affinity Group is a group of alumni and staff also in the process of creating resources for faculty as well.
About David Ross:
When did you join the military? How long did you serve?
I was in the military for 20 years (from 1987-2007).
Which service branch are you a part of?
Air Force; I was stationed at Pope, Patrick, and Moody Air Force bases.
What were some of your most memorable experiences and how did it influence your position now?
The military is the opportunity to both serve and lead. Those are the traits you gain, which are very important in positions of higher education.
What do you enjoy most about this position?
What I love most is the interaction with student veterans and meeting people with similar experiences and talking about similar stories from the military and getting to be a valuable resource for them.
What makes the Georgia Tech center unique?
Being a research institute and a very driven school and program, the needs of students here are different from those at other schools. Many students are nontraditional; they could be working with a family or living far from campus, so it is unique situation. Also, the requirements to be admitted into Georgia Tech are very intricate and high-level, which makes the students quite motivated and exceptional on their own.
If students have any questions or interest in getting involved, please reach out to David Ross (dross35@gatech.edu)